Digital Creator Studio

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission has launched Digital Creator Studio, a program modeled after the highly successful YouTube Space. The program is designed for creators of all levels to produce high-quality video content, learn new skills, and collaborate with the local digital creative community.

Why?

The Film Commission recognizes that digital media isn't the next big thing, it's the CURRENT big thing. Each day, brands like Marriott International, Red Bull, and BMW are creating original content and uploading it to video sharing sites where it's viewed hundreds, thousands, even millions of times. It's the new way of building and promoting a brand - and it works.

The Digital Creator Studio

Supports industry development via the creation of a Digital Creator Studio program in Pinellas County in partnership with local production studios and the Film Commission.

Enables creators to collaborate and produce high-quality video content by providing access to professional production studios, sound stages, equipment and educational opportunities.

Develops content creators to work with local businesses to enhance their digital video branding and marketing.

Brands the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area as a viable destination for digital media content creation.

Highlights the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area to industry movers and shakers.

Helps promote and brand the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission by doing what no other film commissions are doing.

Qualifications

To qualify for the Digital Creator Studio, a creator must:

Have an active video channel with good-quality content and lots of subscribers OR the proven talent to achieve both.

Have no current copyright, flags or other strikes on the qualifying channel(s).

Attend a mandatory 4-hour live boot camp covering usage guidelines, available production studios and resources, tips for growing/targeting/sustaining/monetizing channels, and more.

How to participate

Step 2: The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission evaluates the application and determines if it's mutually-beneficial to support the applicant's efforts.

Step 3: If so, the applicant is invited to attend the Digital Creator Studio boot camp.

Step 4: After completing the boot camp/orientation, program participants are eligible to reserve studio space and sound stages at partner studios, and access special production programs, educational offerings, and exclusive events and screenings.

About the boot camp

Film Commissioner and Instructor Tony Armer leads the boot camp that covers:

10 Fundamentals of a Creative Strategy

Grow Your Audience: Channel and Video Optimization

Make Money with YouTube, Amazon and Vimeo

Collaborate: 7 Best Practices

The Best Online Platforms for your Videos

What's the catch?

There isn't one! The Film Commission works with creators and studios, and pays for studio time used. Program participants retain ownership of content and any monetization.

Content creation guidelines

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission reserves the right to approve the concept or subject matter of all content to be produced at partner studios.

All content created must pass through a clearance review prior to publishing.

Projects must include Special Thanks To and the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission logo.

Cultivating skills

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission offers a variety of classes and workshops designed to cultivate skills. Most are free and open to all creators and members of the community. The number of people is limited, therefore seating is by reservation on a first-come, first-served basis. Past classes and workshops have covered topics including: producing, cinematography, color correction, directing actors, editing, production design, casting, crowdfunding, 360º video training, social media for filmmakers, and building your YouTube channel. Future topics TBA.

Special events

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission periodically hosts free Q&A sessions with digital media experts and influencers, such as:

A Day with George Takei, a huge cultural icon with 10 million+ followers on social media, 40,460 subscribers to his YouTube channel, and a combined 8.7 million views of his videos. George appeared in Kevin's Epic Adventures filmed in St. Petersburg/Clearwater.

An Evening with Freddie Wong, who has a Top 25 YouTube Channel and over 50 billion views - more views than the past eight Super Bowls combined. Freddie signed a partnershop with Lionsgate, and starred in Freddie Wong Flies a Jetpack Rocketjump Style, also filmed in St. Petersburg/Clearwater.